Tufting machine



A. E. CHARLES Aug. 9, 1949.

TUFTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1947 b 2. .N w v I N A II I I 1 I l I I I I I I 1 I I I 1 ll .v a. J 0 nm R ma. Q? 3 W um Q E 3Fl m. j Er I l E. 1 n q m m IN .FM 0 v v v 1 W- 0 mo INVENTOR.

ARTIS ELMER CHARLES ATTORNEY.

A. E. CHARLES TUFTING MACHINE Aug. 9, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1947 INVENTOR.

AR-rls ELMER CHARLES ATTORNEY.

A. E. CHARLES TUFTING MACHINE Aug. 9, 1949.

Filed April 2, v 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. A RTIS ELME CHARLES.

AT TORNEY- Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED FT N Artis Elmer Charles,Guntersville,-Ala., assignor to Carolyn Chenilles, Inc., New corporationof- New York York, N. Y., a

Application April 2, 1947, serial ze. 73am 1 This invention relates to aprocess and machine forproducing tufts on a base material, and relatesmore particularly to a novel process and machine for simultaneouslyproducing a plurality of tufts on a web of textile, which tufts'may bespaced from each other a predetermined distance.

In Patent No. 2,335,487 to Cobble et al. there is shown and described amultiple needle tufting machine which is designed to produce in a singleoperation up to over two hundred stitches, or tufts, running laterallyof the machine. By omitting certain of the needles on said machine, thelateral spacing of the tufts is easily effected. It is an importantobject of this invention to provide a novel process and means forlongitudinally spacing the tufts which may be formed of one or morestitches.

Another object of this invention is the provision of auxiliary drivemeans for the feed shaft of a multiple needle tufting machine so that,at a predetermined interval in the normal feed of the fabric web, therate of rotation of the feed shaft is increased momentarily, thuscausing a greater than normal length of fabric to be fed past theneedles, whereby a space of predetermined extent is formed between thetufts being produced longitudinally of the fabric web, without affectingthe normal reciprocation of the needle bank.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for relieving thetension on the yarns being led to the needles of the needle bank duringthe operation of the auxiliary drive means on the drive means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means forprogressively unwinding textile web from the web supply and a longerlength of web concomitantly with the operation of the auxiliary drivemeans on the drive shaft to feed the textile web past the needle bank.

' Other objects and advantages of this invention, together with certaindetails of construction and combinations of parts, will appear from thefollowing detailed description and will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention isshown,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a multiple needle tufting machinemodified in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views, on an enlarged scale of the mechanismfor operating the clutch for superimposing an auxiliary fabric webfeeding movement on the feed shaft; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the means for i 4 Claims. (Cl.'112-79) 2unrolling fabric from the supply T011, porting the same.

Like reference numerals indicate like par throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Since 'the multiple needle tufting machine, which I have modified, isfully shown amidescribed in the above-mentioned Cobble et al. patent, Iwill describe this well-known mechanism only to such extent as isnecessary to disclose the present inventive features.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, themultipleneedle tufting machine is shown as comprising a drive shaft 6 which isdriven by a motor 1 through a belt 8 connecting a pulley 9 fixed todrive shaft 6 and a pulley H carried by motor shaft H. The motor 1 issupported on a bracket I3 suitably fixed to the framework m-or thetuftingmachine.

The driveshaft 6, 'whichis journaled in bearings l5 mounted on the topof the tufting "machine, actuates the bar supporting the needle bank ofthe machine (not shown) the fabric web feed mechanism, generallyindicated by reference numeral 16, through a'connecting rodll, and thelooping and loop cutting mechanisms of the machine (not shown) throughconnecting rod l8.

More specifically, the fabric web feed mechanism comprises a shaft H!which is journaled in bearings 2| attached to the framework M of themachine. Along shaft I9 are fixed suitably spaced, serrated or tootheddiscs 22 over which the fabric web 23'being tufted is trained after itis fed under the needle band; For holding the fabric web against theserrated discs 22 there are provided grippers 24, one for each disc,which are mountedon a bar 25 extending across the width of-themachine.The bar 25 is fixed to a rodf'ie'rotatably mounted in bearings, such asbearing 21, on the framework llof the machine. A handle 28 is'fixed torod 26 and 'is adapted simultaneously to move all of the grippers 24 toand from the serrated discs 22. Fingers 30 carried on a bracket 30 fitin between the serrated discs 22 to keep the fabric web from beingfouled between said discs.

The fabric web 23' is taken from a supply'roll 29 carried by a supportand unrolling arrangement generally indicated by reference numeral 3|(see Figs. 2 and 5) This arrangement comprises two idler rollers 32 and33 carried by shafts 34 and 35, respectively, journaled in bearings,such as bearings 36, on and between which idler rollers is supported thesupply roll 29. Between and below said idler rollers 32 and 33 is ashaft3T, journaled in bearings 38, on which are fixed spaced serrated ortoothed discs 39. At one end of shaft 31 is fixed a pulley 4|, which isconnected by means of a belt 42 to a pulley 43 fixed to a stub shaft 44journaled in bearing 45 integral with hearing bracket 46 suitably fixedto a block 41 which may be attached to the floor. A pulley 48 is fixedto the other end of stub shaft 44 and is operatively connected to apulley 49 fixed to shaft [9 by a belt 50. By this arrangement, thefabric web is unrolled from the supply roll 29 a length of fabric webequal in length to the length fed by the feed shaft [6 upon eachrotation thereof. Discs are fixed to shaft 31 to prevent the supply rollfrom moving laterally out of desired position.

29 over a roller 52, mounted on a shaft 53 journaled in bearing brackets54 fixed to framework l4 by bolts 55, then under the needle bank of themachine and then trained over serrated discs 22 on feed shaft l9. On thesurface of roller 52 are helical ribs 56 which are oppositely directedfrom substantially the center of the roller. The roller may be turned bythe fabric web passing over the same, or it may be turned by the driveshaft 6 of the machine. For the latter purpose, a pulley 51 is fixed toone end of shaft 53, a pulley 58 fixed to the corresponding end of driveshaft 6 and these pulleys connected by a belt 59.

Operatively connected to connecting rod [1 is a rocker arm 6| which isattached to a clutch mechanism 62 and reciprocates the same givingintermittent rotational movement to feed shaft 19. This rotationalmovement of shaft I5 moves serrated discs 39 on shaft 31 as well asserrated discs 22 on shaft l9, thus unrolling the fabric web from thesupply roll and pulling the same past the needle bank a stitch length,usually about one-sixteenth of an inch, while the needle bank is inraised position. Thus, the stitches or loops will be equally spaced andrelatively close together to form a tuft of the desired number ofstitches or loops.

In order to produce tufts which are spaced longitudinally from eachother, the fabric web, after a tuft of any predetermined number ofstitches or loops is completed, is caused to be fed past the raisedneedle bank a distance greater than the stitch length normally caused tobe fed by clutch 62, thereby providing a space between the tufts in thefabric web. This space may be of any length. To give the effect of acandlewick spread, the space may be one and oneeighth inches, but may begreater or less as desired. To effect the variation in the feed of thefabric web, I have provided an auxiliary feed mechanism which mayreadily bemounted on the multiple needle tufting machine referred toabove with little modification of the elements thereof, as willhereinafter appear.

On drive shaft 6 is fixed a gear 63 which is adapted to mesh with androtate a gear 64 fixed to a stub shaft 65 journaled in bearing bracket66 suitably mounted on top of the machine. Also carried on stub shaft 65is a cam 61 which is held thereon by set screws and collar 69. The cam61 cooperates with a cam follower ll pivotally mounted at the upper endof a lever arm 72. Fixed to the lever arm 12 is a stubshaft 13 which isjournaled in a bearing 14 carried by a bracket, generally indicated byreference numeral 15, mounted on the framework of the machine. The lowerend of lever arm 12 is attached; as by a linkl6, to the arm ll of aclutch mechanism 18. The arm "I1 is slotted at 19 to receive link Thefabric web 23 is led from the supply roll;v

4 16 so that the throw of the clutch may be adjusted to the degree ofauxiliary rotation of the feed shaft desired.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the cam 61 is shown as having beenrotated to the position where the point 8| of the cam 61 is in contactwith cam follower H and has moved lever arm 12 to give the clutch 18 anoperative movement. The. clutch 18 at this point has superimposed onfeed shaft I 6 an auxiliary feeding movement which is far in excess ofthe normal stitch length feeding movement thereof. At the same time, theshaft 31 is also caused to turn to unroll from the supply roll a lengthof fabric web equal to that pulled past the raised needle bank by therotational movement of the feed shaft. Thus, regardless of the size ofthe supply roll there will be no drag on the fabric web being fed by thefeed shaft and, therefore, there will be no variation in the length ofthe spaces between the tufts.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the point M of cam 61 is shown as havingmoved away from the cam follower on lever arm 12, permitting the latterto be moved backward to inoperative position by the action of thesprings 82 and 83 which also act to maintain the cam follower in contactwith the cam surface.

Since the auxiliary movement of the fabric web causes yarns 84 to bepulled along with the fabric web, thus putting an undue tension thereonwhich may cause the same to break, I have provided means for relievingthe tension thereon. Thus, the yarns 34', after they pass tension guides85 on their way to the needles of the needle bank, are caused to passunder a guide rod 86 and over a, guide rod 81 to which guide rod 86 isattached as by links 88. Guide rod 81 is journaled at one end in abracket 89 and the other end thereof is fixed to an arm 9| which ispivotally attached to a lever 92, which is in turn connected to a lever93. Lever 93 is fixed to a shaft 94 journaled in bearings 95 fixed to abracket 96 mounted on the framework of the machine. To shaft 94 is fixedan arm 91 carrying a cam follower 98 adapted to cooperate with a cam 99.This cam is fixed to a gear I00 mounted on a stub shaft IUI carried bythe framework. Gear lfll meshes with and is rotated by a gear I02 fixedto drive shaft 6.

During the stitch length feeding of the fabric web, the bars 86 and 81are in a position such as to form a loop or bulge in the yarns being fedto the needle. At the moment that clutch I8 is moved to rotate feedshaft l9, cam 99 causes cam follower 98 to move to rotate shaft 94 andthus through levers 93 and 82 cause the rocking of arm M. This movementof arm 6| momentarily moves the guide rods 86 and 61 away from theyarns, leaving a length of each yarn to be taken up by movement of thefabric web. Further movement of the cam slowly moves the guide rods 86and 81 back to their extended position.

As indicated above, the tuft may be composed of any number of stitchesor loops. Where it is desired to have'four stitches or loops in eachtuft, the gears 63 and 64 are of such dimension that the point 8! of thecam '61 is caused to strike cam follower ll after the fourth completerotation of gear 63.

The extent of the auxiliary rotational movement of the feed shaft may bevaried or adjusted by changing the position of the link 16 in the slot19 of clutch arm 11. i A

It is believed that the operation of the multiple needle tufting machineas modified in accordance with my invention will be readily apparentfrom the above description.

The embodiment of my invention shown and described herein is to beconsidered merely as illustrative, as my invention is susceptible tovariation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for forming in a fabric web a plurality of tufts eachcomposed of a predetermined number of stitches or loops, wherein aplurality of yarns are stitched by a bank of needles into said fabricweb progressively fed to the needle bank from a supply roll a stitchlength at a time by a feed shaft intermittently rotated by meansoperatively connected to the drive shaft of the machine, the combinationtherewith of means for unrolling said web from said supply roll at thesame rate as it is fed past the needle bank by said feed shaft, saidlatter means comprising a roller on which said supply roll is mounted,and means operatively connected to said feed shaft for rotating saidroller.

2. In a machine for forming in a fabric web a plurality of tufts eachcomposed of a predetermined number of stitches or loops, wherein aplurality of yarns are stitched by a bank of needles into said fabricweb progressively fed to the needle bank from a supply roll a stitchlength at a time by a feed shaft intermittently rotated by meansoperatively connected to the drive shaft of the machine, means forspacing said tufts longitudinally of said web comprising a clutchmounted on said feed shaft, means, in cluding a lever arm attached tosaid clutch, a cam for moving said lever arm, a gear on which said camis mounted for rotation therewith and a gear fixed to said drive shaftfor meshing with and driving said first-mentioned gear, forreciprocating said clutch to rotate said feed shaft to move said web adistance greater than a stitch length, and means for unrolling said webfrom said supply roll at the same rate as it is fed past the needle bankby said feed shaft, said latter means comprising a roller on which saidsupply roll is mounted, and mean-s operatively connected to said feedshaft for rotating said roller.

3. In a machine for forming in a fabric web a plurality of tufts eachcomposed of a predetermined number of stitches or loops, wherein aplurality of yarns are stitched by a bank of needles into said fabricweb progressively fed to the needle bank from a supply roll a stitchlength at a time by a feed shaft intermittently rotated by meansoperatively connected to the drive shaft of the machine, means forspacing said tufts longitudinally of said web comprising a clutchmounted on said feed shaft, means, including a lever arm attached tosaid clutch, a cam for moving said lever arm, a gear on which said camis mounted for rotation therewith and a gear fixed to said drive shaftfor meshing with and driving said first-mentioned gear, forreciprocating said clutch to rotate said feed shaft to move said web adistance greater than a stitch length, means for unrolling said web fromsaid supply roll at the same rate as it is fed past the needle bank bysaid feed shaft, said latter means comprising a roller on which saidsupply roll is mounted, and means, operatively connected to said feedshaft for rotating said roller, bars for applying tension on said yarns,and means for moving said bars at predetermined spaced intervals forrelieving the tension on said yarns.

4. In a machine for forming in a fabric web a plurality of tufts eachcomposed of a predetermined number of stitches or loops, wherein aplurality of yarns are stitched by a bank of needles into said fabricweb progressively fed to the needle bank from a supply roll a stitchlength at a time by a feed shaft intermittently rotated by meansoperatively connected to the drive shaft of the machine, means forspacing said tufts longitudinally of said web comprising a. clutchmounted on said feed shaft, means, including a lever arm attached tosaid clutch, a cam for movin said lever arm, a gear on which said cam ismounted for rotation therewith and a gear fixed to said drive shaft formeshing with and driving said first-mentioned gear, for reciprocatingsaid clutch to rotate said feed shaft to move said web a distancegreater than a stitch length, means for unrolling said web from saidsupply roll at the same rate as it is fed past the needle bank by saidfeed shaft, said latter means comprising a roller on which said supplyroll is mounted, and means, operatively connected to said feed shaft forrotating said roller, bars for applying tension on said yarns, and meansfor moving said bars at predetermined spaced intervals for relieving thetension on said yarns comprising a cam driven from said drive shaft, acam follower movable by said cam and levers connected to said camfollower and said bars.

ARTIS ELMER CHARLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,794,644 Roesen Mar. 3, 19311,796,912 Wood Mar. 17, 1931 1,805,122 Weinheim Ma 12, 1931 2,016,909Sakellarides Oct. 8, 1935 2,062,027 Hofmann et al Nov. 24, 19362,090,022 Baynton et a1 Aug. 17, 1937 2,112,512 Windham et al Mar. 29,1938 2,223,445 Doble Dec. 3, 1940 2,359,050 Patey Sept. 26, 19442,389,914 Kile Nov. 27, 1945 2,411,883 Kile Dec. 3, 1946

